National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

of Karakorum known to western geographers, and he was the first to mention
Korea. Before him nobody had described the Lamas, their temples, ritual, living
Buddhas, their use of the prayer beads and of the now so famous formula »Om mani
padme hum». He found out the true peculiarities of the writing of the Tibetan and
other languages. Even the animals did not escape his keen sight, and he is the
first to tell us of the wild ass or kiang of Tibet, and of the wild sheep which later
on became so famous with Marco Polo's name, Ovis Poli. ¹

Provided with all available information gathered by his predecessors Rubruck
set out in 1252 on his 10,000 miles' journey in Asia. In 1255 he returned, but not
before 1600 was a part of his narrative published by RICHARD HAKLUYT, and
again, in 1625 in a completed form, by PURCHAS in Purchas His Pilgrims.

Regarding the country of Tibet, or rather its inhabitants, Rubruck has a
fuller account of Friar John's version, as well as some additional information.
Having spoken of the Tanguts in the mountains he says: ²

»Beyond these are the Tebet, a people in the habit of eating their dead parents, so that
for piety's sake they should not give their parents any other sepulcre than their bowels. They
have given this practice up, however, as they were held an abomination among all nations.
They still, however, make handsome cups out of the heads of their parents, so that when
drinking out of them they may have them in mind in the midst of their merry-making. This
was told me by one who had seen it. These people have much gold in their country, so that
when one lacks gold he digs till he finds it, and he only takes so much as he requires and
puts the rest back in the ground; for if he put it in a treasury or a coffer, he believes that
God would take away from him that which is in the ground. I saw many misshapen individ-
uals of this people.»

Even nowadays one sometimes sees bowls and cups made out of human skulls.
Regarding the curious superstition in connection with the gold, Rockhill made a
similar observation on his journey through China, Mongolia and Tibet. ³ The other
places where Rubruck directly or indirectly makes reference to matters Tibetan
may be omitted here. He cannot have had the faintest idea, of the geographical
situation of Tibet and his locating it »beyond the Tanguts» is very vague.

We now come to the greatest of all Asiatic travellers, MARCO POLO. He
mentions Tibet in three places, from which the following extracts may be of in-
terest. Speaking of the enchanters and astrologers who are able to prevent any
cloud or storm from passing over the Emperor's Palace, he continues: